National Republican., 1887-12-07


taiih or duty levied upon importations from
abroad, and internol revenue taxes levied
upon the consumption of tobacco and spirit.
uous and malt liquors IL must be conceded
that none OF the things subjected to internal
revenue taxation are, strictly speaking, neces.
saTiesi there. appears to be no Just complaint
OF this taxation by the consumers OF these arti-
cles, and there seems TO be nothing so well able
to bear the burden without hardship to any
But our present tariff laws, the vicious In
equitable, and illogical source OF unnecessary
taxation, ought 70 be at once revised and
amended. These laws, as their primary and
plain effect raise the price 10 consumers of all
articles imported and subject 10 duty by pre-.
cisely the sum paid fer such duties Thus the
amount or The duty measures the tax paid by
those who purchase for use these imported
raised or manufactured In our own country,
and the duties now levied upon foreign goods
and products are called protection to these
home manufactures, because they render 1t
possible for those Of our people who are manu-.
facturers 10 make these taxed articles and sell
them for price equal TO that demanded for
duly 30 il happens that while comparatively
few use the imported articles, millions OF our
people, who never use and never saw any of
Of he Ed made in Ss ,e h%S a
Rsnced PRICE Which the duty duty ADDS Id to sS The I'm I'm
ported articles, Those who buy imports pay
treasury, but the great majority Of our citizens
who buy domestic articles of the same class,
pay sum at least approximately equal to this
duty TO the home manufacturer. This refer
erence TO the operation OF our tariif laws Is not
made by way OF instruction, but in order that
we may be constantly reminded of the manner
in which they impose burden upon those
who consume domestic products as well as
those who consume imported articles. and thus
create tax upon all our people.
IL is not ptopos d to entirely relieve tho
country OF this taxation. 1t much be exten.
sively continued as the source Of the govern
meDts income; aud in REIMBURSEMENT of our
tsrin the interests OF American labor engaged
in manufacture should be carefully consider1d,
as well as the preservation of our menuiac-
turers II may be called protection, or by any
other name, but relief from the hardships aud
dangers OF our present tariif laws should be
devised with especial precaution against in
perlling the existence OF our manufacturing
interests. But this existence should not mean
a condition which, without regard 10 the pub
lie welfare or national exigency, must always
insure the realization of immense profits in-
stead Of moderately profitable returns. AS the
volume and diversity OF our national activities
increase, new recruits are added to those who
desire continuation Of the advantages which
they conceive the present system OF tariff tax
alton directly affords them. So stubbornly
have all efforts to reform the present COn1i-
| tion been resisted by those of our felowtciti.
zens thus engaged, that they can hardly COM
plain of the suspicion, entertained certaiu
extent, that there exists an organized comb.
nation all along the line to maintain their ad-
vantage.
tions, and with becoming pride we rejoic. in
American skill and ingenuity In American
energy and enterprise, ana In the wonderful
natural adyantages and resources developed
attempt is made to- justify scheme which
permits tax to be laid upon every consumer
in The land for the benefit Of our manufac- =
turers, quite beyond q reasonable demand for
| governmental regard 1t suits the purposes of
| advocacy 10 call our manufactures infant in.
dustries, still needing the highest and greatest
degree of favor and fostering care that can be
| wrung from federal legislation.
| II is also said that the increase in the price
| OF domestic manufactures resulting from the
| present tariff is necessary In order that higher
| ployed In manufact or!es than are paid for
| what is called the pauper labor Of Europe. All
| will acknowledge the force OF an argument
| pensation Of our laboring people, Our labor
| Is honorable In the eyes OF every American
citizen, and as 1t lies at the foundation of our
out aflectalion Or hypocrisy. to the utmost re-:
| gard. The standard ofour laborers' life should
not be measured by that Of any other country
fslI i share % Of ali % our rad Advantage. m O 'ne''
By the last census 1t Is made to appear that
OF the ]! ,392 ,O99 OF our population engaged in
all kinds Of industries 7,670,4o3 are employed,
in agriculture, 4074, 23s in professional and
personal service (l,9Si, ,s76 Of whom are domes.
tic se::yants and laborers), while 1.Sl9,256 are
| employed in trade and transportation, and
|
| factuiDg and mining.
| For present purposes, however, the last mum.
ber given should be considerably reduced,
Without attempting TO enumerate all, II will
| be conceded that there should be deducted
from those which II includes 975. li3 car.
penters and joiners, 1885, ,iol milliners, dress
makers, and seamstIesses; l72, ,I26 blacksmths
lS3, 156 tailors and tailoresses, l02,i73 masons
1924 butchers, Al, 300 bakers, 2,0s3 pllstererS
| and 1881 engaged In manufacturing agricul-
tural Implements, amounting Ia the agsreyate
in such manufacturing Industries as are
claimed to be benefited by high tariff.
TO these the appea Is made to save their
asd Tbsre shod hf'f bs ng
tion 10 answer such suggestions by the aliegs.
tion that they are IN minority among those
who labor, and therefore should fIreso m
advantage in the interest OF low prices for the
majority; their compensa ion, as 1t may b.
affected by the op, ration OF tartf laws, should
at all times be scrupulousiy KEEP in view; and
| yet with slight reflection they viii not over
| look the Tact that theyare c0n'umess with the
| rest; that they, too, have their owu wants and
those OF their families TO supply from theiI
earnings. AMI that the price of the necessaries
Of life, as well as the am lunt of their wages,
Will regulate the measure G: ;ac!: welfare
ana comfort.
should be so measured as not TO nece ;sitate OF
| justify either the loss of employment by the
working man nor the lessening of his wages
and tho profits still remaining to the manu-
| tacturer, after necessary readjustment
should furnish no excuse for the sacrifice Of
the interests OF his employees either in thelr
opportunity to work or in the diminution o
manufactures fail TO understand that while {
high tariff is claimed to be necessary to allow
the payment OF remunerative wages, II Ger
price. of nearly all sorts of manufactures
| which, in almost countless forms, he needs fo
the use OF himself and his family. He receives
at the desk of his employer his wages, and per
| hpfDrp YpanlpS home =
| a purchase for family use Of an article whict
embraces his own labor, to return IN the pay
ment of the increase In price whicn the tarit
permits. the hard-earned compensation o
many days OF toll.
The farmer and the agrcuturist who man
iacture nothing, but who pay the increased
ricultural implement, upon all he wears, ant
upon al he uses and owns, except the incre IS,
OF his flocks and herds and such things as hi
husbsndry produces from the soil, IS lnyilet
and he is told that high duty on imported
wool is necessary for the benefit of those whi
have sheep to shear, In order that the price o
are not reminded that the farmer who has N
sheep is by this scheme Obliged, In hi
purchases Of clothing and woolen goods
@er "a as well as to the he manufactnre
and merchant; nor is any mention made ofth'
fact that the sheep owners themselves ant
their households must wear clothing and ust
other articles manufactured from the WOO
they sell at tariff prices, ana thus as con
sumeIs must return their share of this in
creased price to the trGdesmnn.
+ think 1t may be fairly assumed that larg
proportion of the sheep owned by the farmer.
throughout the country are found in sinai
iocBs numbering from twenty-five TO hfty
The duty on tho grade OF imported wool whicl
these sheep yield Is ten cents each pound If o
the value Of thirty cents or less. and twelve
cents II of the value OF more than thirty cents
II the liberal estimate of SIX pounds be allowed
for each fleece, the duty thereon would b'
sixty or sevCnty-two cents, and this may oI
taken as the utmost enhancement Of its priG,
TO the farmer by reason Of this duty. Eighteer
dollars would thus represent the increased
price OF the wool from twenty-five sheep anC
thilty-six dollars that from the wool Of fit,
L AIllI, mud IL u.Lllug u All. On